History Question

[Nurlman]

Here's a question I honestly don't know the answer to. Thought I'd throw it out there.

When you look at some of the old-time Chamberlain/Russell era scores, you see some crazy numbers, like 146-134 and stuff like that. The game wasn't longer, and there wasn't a shot clock.

Nowadays, when I see somebody break 115-120, I immediately think what godawful defense the other team played, and yet - you always hear about how much more fundamentally sound the (for instance) Celtics and Lakers of the 60s were.

So how did those teams put up those lotto numbers back in the day, if everybody played such sound fundamental defense? How'd they get enough shots off for the Big Dipper to get 30 boards a night?

[pimp]

You should check out some old nba videos on youtube.

From what i seen, there was 10X more ball movement back then ,and 10x fewer iso plays.

There was no 3 point line, so nobody was chucking from long range.Just about everybody

could hit the midrange jumper, and players used the backboard more often, instead of trying to shoot all nets.

[KB21]

I agree.

Players were more fundamentally sound and smarter back then. Coaches didn't try to run isolation plays. Basketball was being played the way it was intended to be played. Offensively, you saw ball movement and players getting good shots. Defensively, you saw the kind of effort teams don't play with today.

Even in the '80s, the game was a much better product than it is now. I think the influx of the young players into the league has deteriorated the quality of the product on the court. Half the players in the league don't know how to play basketball.

[NJHAWK]

I cant speak for the old days but as far as the 1980's go most teams didnt give two shyyt about defense. It was run and gun and there was very little defense. Until the mid to late 80's when Detroit had that really good defensive team that won titles did alot more teams start focusing more on the defensive style of play. Thats when the Bulls, Knicks and later on Miami started playing the physical slow it down type of ball. There have been alot more teams playing defense better now than the D played in the 80's.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Thank you for saying that.

Very few of those cats played defense back then. You didn't have the defensive schemes you have now back then either.

But the major reason why guys like Chamberlain and Russell completely dominated back then, was because they were far and away athletically superior than the vast majority of the guys they played against.

It would be like putting Amare or KG as they are right now, and have them play against current Ivy league competition.

People have to remember that the best basketball players didn't play against each other back then, like they do now. Not even close.